Monday, April 29, 2013

The cool moist spring has been great for extending the bloom
period on azaleas and dogwoods; however, turf fungus seems to be thriving in
these conditions.

Large Patch or Brown Patch fungus loves these weather conditions.
Temperatures in the high 50’s to low 60’s and moisture make conditions real
favorable for Large Patch or Brown Patch fungus. We have had plenty of these conditions
making the fungus environment perfect for the spread of this disease.

Since it is very difficult to control night time
temperatures, you can put your efforts into doing other cultural things to help
minimize the disease. Large Patch or Brown Patch fungus likes wet, heavy
thatch, improper nutrition, and/or compacted soils. Culturally you need to manage your irrigation
system, raise any low areas, and correct drainage problems.Reducing thatch, maintaining proper fertility
levels, and aerating to alleviate compaction, will also help control Large
Patch or Brown Patch fungus.

Certain organic products have shown to increase
microorganisms in the soil that compete with plant pathogenic fungus in the
soil. At Possum’s we get good feedback from Nature’s Blend, SeaHume, Crab
Shell, Corn Gluten, Cotton Burr Compost, and some of the Roots products. These
products are not fungicides; however, people that use them report back to us
that they notice less fungus in the yards that they apply these products.

Since the grass is coming out of dormancy so slow, a systemic
control product like Cleary’s 3336 and Disarm might be a good idea to get you
through the next month or so as long as conditions are favorable for the
disease.

Being a soil borne disease, you know that it will reoccur in
the same areas year after year.If the
base of a leaf blade with Large Patch is moved from one part of the yard to
another (lawn mower), this can begin a new infection area; however, these are
not spores flying through the air.As a
soil borne fungus, if you map the areas that you have the disease, you can
concentrate your control efforts (dollars) into a smaller area, putting less
control products into the environment.If your yard is 5,000 sq ft usually you might have a few infected areas
which might total approx. 500 ft.Instead of buying control products to treat 5,000 sq ft, you can
concentrate your efforts into the 500 ft (i.e. 10% of your total yard).If Large Patch was an air borne fungus with
spores, you would have had to treat the entire yard because air borne fungus
spreads a lot quicker than soil borne fungus.

Monday, April 22, 2013

As the night time temperatures warm up and the grass starts
to actively grow, aerating should be considered for the health of your whole
landscape. While you have the holes open in your yard, there are many products
that you can add to that root zone area that will benefit your turf, trees, and
shrubs.

Aerating reduces compaction, reduces thatch, increases
oxygen movement to the roots, brings beneficial microorganisms to the surface,
cuts runners, and allows better penetration of water, fertilizers, or control
products into the soil.

Right after aerating, while the holes are open, is a good
time to add SeaHume G, BGK 7500, products containing mycorrhiza, Crab Shell,
Mule Mix and/or Cotton Burr Compost.Even
if you are not aerating, these products are great to add to your lawn and beds.

·SeaHume G is a bio-stimulant humic acid product
that will help your roots grow, soften up the soil, feed beneficial
micro-organisms in the soil, make nutrients that are in the soil more available
to the plants, and keep fertilizer from leaching.

·SeaHume G also contains 10% cold water seaweed.
The seaweed also acts as a bio-stimulant and is a source of over 60 minor
elements, amino acids, and natural chelating agents.

·BGK 7500 is a granular organic product that has
thatch eating bacteria mix in with a 03-03-03 fertilizer. BGK 7500 is also
fortified with 6% humic acid.

·04-04-04 Bolster and other products that contain
mycorrhiza. By applying these products while the roots are exposed, the
mycorrhiza can attach to the roots quickly. These friendly fungi will help the
plant absorb water and nutrients from the soil while competing with bad fungus
in the soil.

·Crab Shell by Neptune’s Harvest will increase
the chitin eating bacteria in the soil. These bacteria will help control
nematodes and fungus. I would definitely use this product in areas that I have
problems with large / brown patch.

·Mule Mix can last about 20 years in the soil and
help manage moisture.This is a clay
product that has been super-heated until it pops!This makes this product sterile as well as
turns it into a little capillary.This
capillary holds water and then releases it as the plant needs it.This product is used on baseball infields to
manage the moisture levels in clay; otherwise the clay would be rock hard or
moist and slimy. Mule Mix will also keep fertilizer and water from leaching in
sandy soils. Mule Mix is great for wet or dry areas.

·Cotton Burr Compost will add water holding
capabilities to the soil by adding organic matter to the soil.Cotton Burr Compost will soften up clay as
well as giving sandy soil nutrient holding capacity.Cotton Burr Compost is very high in nutrition
and will also help increase populations of beneficial organisms in the soil.

Monday, April 15, 2013

What an interesting winter we had in the Lowcountry! The
temperatures never got super cold. I never drained my well (every year for the
past 17 years, I have drained my well). The night time temperatures seem to
stay in the high thirties and the day time temperatures stayed around the high
fifties. In the past, we would get more peaks and valleys (some temperatures
freezing in the low to mid-twenties and in March maybe a few days in the eighties).

Fleas love moisture! With the winter we had and the rain
that came with it, I’m thinking fleas are going to be extra bad this year. I do
not have to have a crystal ball or be a genius to figure this out. I have three
stores, and I can look at how many flea control products that we have sold all
winter. Knowing that the weather also favors flea population growth, I can go
out on a limb (a Horticulture pun) and predict that fleas are going to be bad
this year.

Prefurred One or Prefurred Plus are post patented Fipronil
products that you apply directly to your dog or cat every 30 days. Being a “generic”,
the price has dropped significantly (customers tell us 30 to 50 percent off).
Petcor, Biospot or a flea collar will also protect your animal.

Be proactive and treat the house with a product that
contains a growth regulator. Precor 2000, Ultracide, I G regulator, IC3 (National
Organics Program compliant but no growth regulator) and Alpine Flea Insecticide
are a few good products for use in the house. If you apply these products
before you have an issue, your success will be much greater and will save you
from all the vacuuming, washing of beds and the sleepless nights with a
scratching pet.

By treating the family pet, the home and the yard
proactively, you should have good success against the flea. If this sounds like
too much work or something you would rather have a professional tackle, there
are many good Pest Management Professionals in the area.

If you are thinking about aerating this spring, while you
have the holes open in your lawn, some good additives are: SeaHume G, 04-04-04
Bolster, Mule Mix, BGK 7500, Crab Shell and / or Cotton Burr Compost. Get the
full benefit from the aeration!

Monday, April 8, 2013

We finally made it to “Spring!” If you have a good handle on
you weeds, it is April and you might not have had to mow your grass – crazy!
Despite the late start to the 2013 season, there are many fun and beneficial things
to do in the yard and around the house.

Aerating the lawn and landscape is always a topic of
conversation this time of year.

Aerating does several good things for your lawn, shrubs, and
trees. Try to use an aerator that pulls up a plug with a hollow tine instead of
a spike type aerator that is just a solid tine going into the ground. By
removing cores of soil from your lawn and laying them on top of the ground, all
kinds of good things happen. This cultural practice is one of the best for your
landscape as a whole. If you can aerate in beds and under trees, that will
benefit plants as well.

Aerating reduces compaction, reduces thatch, increases
oxygen movement to the roots, brings beneficial microorganisms to the surface,
cuts runners in turf, and allows better penetration of water, fertilizers, or
control products into the soil.

You can aerate anytime the grass is actively growing. On our
programs, I usually recommend in April before your second application of
preemergent, just in case any weed seeds are surfaced and try to germinate.

When you aerate, be sure to mark all your irrigation heads,
propane lines, cable lines, night lighting lines and any other wire or pipe you
might have running through your lawn, so you do not accidentally add to you
work load.

If you have been waiting for the weather to warm up, here is
a brief checklist of things that should be done around the yard:

Test soil. I was looking
at soil tests last night, and I had 2 tests for palm trees that 2
different people had put out way, way, way too much Magnesium. Just
because people say that palms like Epsom Salt which is Magnesium sulfate,
take a soil test first. You might be wasting your money. This could be
true throughout your landscape. Soil test provide valuable information!

Apply SeaHume G to lawn
and beds

Apply Preemergent to lawn
and beds (this late use Dimension)

Drench Dominion around
plants with a history of insect problems

Apply preventive fungicide
to turf if you have a history of fungus (Cleary’s, Disarm)

Mole Crickets overwinter
as adults and do their mating flights right now. Kill them now before they
can make babies. Be sure your lawn and beds are free of fire ants, and if
you have pets, fleas and ticks should be controlled. If you live near the
woods, chiggers may be an issue. (Granular Sevin will work on these pest.
If you prefer organic, check with a Possum’s near you to find a product or
products that will work in your situation.)

Go through your irrigation
system and be sure everything is operating correctly

Monday, April 1, 2013

It is now April and “Spring” is still knocking at the door.
The warmer air and light rains could cause termites to swarm. Which is not
really a problem itself; however, swarmers could indicate a problem.

Swarmers are winged, flying termites that are generally attracted
to light. Certain times a year, termites come out of the ground and fly. These
termites do not eat wood, but they are a good indicator that an active colony
is nearby. Usually you will see them swarming near an old stump or woodpile. No
reason to worry, termites are just Mother Nature’s decomposers.

When you see them in your house or building, there may be
colony underneath your structure. First, identify the nuisance to be sure they
are not flying ants (look at online pictures, take them to your local Possum’s
or local Clemson Extension Office). Ants have a constricted abdomen (like the
waist of a body builder) and a termite’s body tapers straight down (more like a
middle-aged person). You will usually find termite swarmers and their wings in
window sills because they fly towards light.

If you determine that you do have termite swarmers and your
house or building is under contract (bond) with a Pest Management Professional,
contact them right away. If your house is not under contract, call 3 companies
and get estimates. Do not necessarily go with the lowest bid, this is your
house we are talking about, look to see what their warranties are, how long
they have been in business or do they have referrals you can contact, how often
they propose to retreat, do they cover Formosan Termites, who pays for damage,
who pays for retreats, how much does the yearly inspection cost …

Remember the swarmers are a nuisance. They do not eat wood.
Kill them just to clean up the mess; however, a soil treatment or a baiting
system by a professional is going to be your long term fix. Remember your house
is probably your biggest investment.

It is a great time to apply SeaHume and Cotton Burr Compost
by Back To Nature (watch out for imposters of the Cotton Burr Compost) to your
lawn and beds. 04-00-10 (Perk) with its root enhancer technology is great for
the lawn as it comes out of dormancy. 17-00-09 that is 100% slow release and
loaded with minors will get your trees and shrubs off to a healthy start. These
damp cool days are fungi’s dream conditions, so an application of a preventive
fungicide is a good idea. Protect your new leaves as they emerge from your
shrubs and trees from fungus and disease. Preemerge?

About Me

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply. Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at http://www.possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to
“ The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from noon to 1:00, on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker).